Money Savers For New Parents
Tips for Raising Baby Without Breaking the Bank!
Children may be priceless, but they are also expensive. The first year of parenthood alone can be a shocker. Between diapers, formula, car seats, nursery furnishings, sitters and clothes they outgrow weekly, you may wonder how you will ever afford to raise your child to adulthood! With some planning, though, you can keep those first-year costs down and maybe even put something away for University. Here are some strategies:
Clothing: Your baby may look darling in designer duds, but they won’t last long. Between spit up and growth spurts, you will find most outfits don’t get a lot of use. Don’t be shy about accepting hand-me-downs, shopping garage sales, and especially shopping end-of-season sales for next year’s clothes.
One Mom’s tip: If you can’t buy clothes out of season, for whatever reason, first check Ebay©. They often have new items with tags (NWT) which someone else overbought for their child. I bought a new 3T bathing suit for $4.00, which normally would cost around $20.00 in-season. “Lots” are several clothing items of the same size and season. These often are the best buys per item for both new and used clothes on Ebay©. – Theresa Rezentes, mother of Simone.
Feeding: Breastfeeding is considered the healthiest option for your child and best of all, it’s free. In fact, it can save you as much as $1000 the first year compared to the cost of formula. In addition, you may save the time and hassle of doctor’s visits since breast milk has been shown to keep babies healthier. If you must return to work, you may want to consider renting an electric breast pump – the savings on formula will easily offset the cost.
If you find you need to buy formula, talk with your doctor about options. Some brands are cheaper than others, but make sure you have your doctor’s OK first. You may be able to get samples and coupons while you’re still in the hospital; and be sure to sign up for coupons at the major manufacturer’s websites. Be careful about stocking up ahead of time, however, unless you can return unopened formula. It may take several tries to find a brand that works for your infant.
When your child is ready for solid food, pureeing your own fruits and vegetables costs pennies compared to baby food in cans and jars. You can freeze these in ice cube trays then put in containers for individual servings when you need them.
One Mom’s tip: While the shopping warehouses don’t accept coupons, I have found they will accept the discount cheques sent by formula manufacturers. This saved me money when I bought the bulk-size cans of formula. Gail Marriott, mother of Christopher.
